Necktie-clasp



F. E. WILLIAMS AND 0. S. BARNUM.

NECKTIE CLASP. APPLICATION FILED'JAYN. 9, 1920.

1,399,233, I Patented Dem 6, 192 1.

INVENTORS ATTORNEY f UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK n. WILLIAMS AND OLIVER s. BARNUM, or ALHAMBRA, CALIFORNIA.

NECKTIECLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

Application filed January 9, 1920. Serial No. 350,338.

To all whom it may GOHOQWL.

Be it known that we, FRANK E. WILLIAMS and OLIVER S. BARNUM, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of Alhambra, county of Los Angeles, and State of California, have invented jointly new and useful Improvements in Necktie-Clasps, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of this invention are to provide a clasp as for a gentlemans neck-tie that will not allow the material placed there.- in to slip, that lockspositively and automatically, can be released only by manipulation of the finger, and to construct the same in an attractive and cheap manner.

lVe attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 7 v Figure 1 is a side view of the complete invention with the clasping element released to allow insertion of the necktie or other material.

Fig. 2'is a similar view of the complete invention with the clasping element in position to compress and hold the neck-tie, and securely locked.

Fig. 8 is a view of the mechanism from above, the front or face of the clasp being cut away.

The invention embraces a U formed body 1, designated on the drawings as divided into face 1 base 1 and curve 1, provided with longitudinal wings 2. on either side of base 1; perforations in said wings 3 to serve as journals for axle 1; and a longitudinal, irregular triangular opening 5 in base 1 between said wings, terminating in notch 6 at its apex.

The clasping element is a coil spring7, rotating upon axle 4;, one turn or end of said coil being elongated to form a loop or tongue 8 the extremity ofwhich may be made to impinge upon the inner surface of face 1,

another turn or end being elongated to form lever arm 9 which serves to rotate coil 7 and bring the extremity of tongue 8 in contact with the inner surface of face 1. I

Upon pressing upward on lever arm 9, and so soon as it begins to enter opening 5, said lever-arm comes in contact with edge 10 of said opening at a very acute angle, thus causing a progressive lateral pressure on said leverarm as it advances into opening 5 until it reaches notch 6 when it automatically springs into said notch. At the same time 00 117 is caused to rotate and the extremitv or tongue '8' is made to impinge upon the inner surface offace 1*. To more effectively prevent slipping of material held between tongue 8 and face '1 a depression 11 is provided in face i at the point of impingement.

When the clasping element is so rotated and looked, as shown in F ig. 2. to release lever arm 9 from notch 6 it is only necessary, to exert slight pressure with the thumb nail on the returning part of lever arm 9 which PI'OJQCtS below base l whereupon, by resiliency ofthe tense coil 7, it will'spring, into the position of release shown in Fig. 1.

jIt isessential that body 1 shall be approximately rigid, varying thickness of material inserted between tongue 8 and face 1 being compensated for by theresiliency of coil 7. To secure the desired rigidity curve 1 is reinforced by ribbing, winged edges, or in any other manner thought desirable.

In a modificationof the construction above set forth it will be apparent that should the sides of longitudinal opening 5 be parallel as in Fig. 3, then and in that case the automatic springing of arm 9 into notch 6 for the purpose of locking said arm may be accom-' plished by bending arm 9 toward the notched side of opening 5 at an angle slightly less than 90 degrees fromthe axis of coil 7, thus preserving the relative angle of contact between said arm and said notched side as said arm 9 advances into said opening.

Having thus described our invention and its manner of operation, we claim'as new and desireto obtain Letters Patent ofthe United States upon 1.111 aclasp of the character disclosed, a U'-shaped body; a clasping element comprising a revoluble, yielding clasping member pivotally supported in one arm of said body; and means for retaining said yielding mem her in clasping relation with the inner side of the other arm of said U-shaped body; said clasping member comprising a material engaging tongue and a finger lever in yielding an interposed ing a revoluble coil spring formed of a length of metallic wire pivotally supported in one arm of said U-shaped body; one turn of said coil spring being elongated to provide a clasping tongue to co-act with the in said opening, and

inner surface of the second arm of said U- shaped body in clasping action another turn of said coil spring being elongated to provide a finger-lever in yielding relation to said tongue and whereby said tongue may be urged into clasping relation with sand inner surface of said secondarm of said U-shaped body, to claspthe material lying between said arms. a

3. A clasp of the character disclosed formed of a strip of suitable material bent upon itself to form a U-shaped body whose two arms provide a face and a base adapted to receive between them the material to be clasped; a clasping element comprising a revoluble coil sprin formed of a length of metallic wire pivota ly supported in the base arm of said U-shaped body; one turn of said coil spring being elongated to provide a clasping tongue to co-act with the inner surfaceof the face arm of said Ushaped body in clasping action; another turn of said coil spring being elongated to provide a finger-lever fin yielding relation to said tongue and whereby saidtongue maybe urged into clasping action u on the material lying between said face and ase arms; there being means for releasably holding said finger-lever in repressed position.

4. A clasp of the character disclosed formed of a strip of suitable material bent upon itself to form a U-shaped body whose two arms provide a face and a base adapted to receive between them the material to be clasped; said "base bein provided with longitudinal wings on ei-t er side thereof; an axle-pin passed through perforations in said wings and ranging transversely thereto; said base being further provided'with an irregular longitudinal opening between said wings and terminating in a transverse notch at its extremity nearest the U-bend of said body; a coil spring formed of a length of metallic wire rotatin on said axle-pin with formed to provide a tongue to co-act with the inner surface of said face in clasping action, anda fingerlever in yielding relation to said tongue for rotating said coil and positioning said tongue; therebeing means on said base for holding said finger-lever in position with said tongue in repressed clasping action.

5. A clasp of the character disclosed formed of a strip of suitable material bent upon itself to form a U-shaped body whose two arms provide a face and a base adapted to receive between them the material to be clasped; said base being provided withlongitudinal wings on either side thereof; an

axle-pin passed through perforations in said wings and)- ranging transversely thereto;

said base being further provided with an irregular longitudinal opening between said wings and terminating in a transverse notch at its extremity nearestthe U-bend of said body; a coil spring formed of a length of metallic wire rotating on said axle-pin within said opening, and formed to provide a tongue to co-act with the inner surface of saidface in clasping action, and a fingerlever in yielding relation to said tongue for rotating said coil and positioning said tongue; said finger-lever being bent upon itself at suitable length to provide a loop adapted to readily spring sidewise into said notch. I

6. A clasp "of the character disclosed formed of a strip of suitable materialbent upon itself to form a U-shaped'body whose two arms provide a face and a base adapted to receive between them the material to be clasped; said base being provided with 1on5 gitudinal wings on either side thereof; an axle-pin passed through perforations in said wings and ranging transversely thereto; said base being further provided with an irregular longitudinal opening betweensaid wings and terminating in a transversenotch at its extremity nearest the U-bend of said body; a coil spring formed of a length of metallic wire rotating on said axle-pin within said opening and formed to provide a tongue to co-act with the inner surface of said face inclasping action, and a fingerlever in yieldingrelation to said tongue for rotating said coil and' positioning said tongue; said finger-lever being' bent upon itself at suitable length to provide a loop adapted to readily spring sidewise into said a notch; said inner surface of'said face being provided with a de ression at the point of impingement of sai ton ue.

7. A clasp of the c araoter disclosed formed of a strip of suitable, material bent upon itself to form a U-shaped body whose opening, and formed to provide a tongue to co-act with the inner surface of said face in clasping action; and a finger-lever in yielding relation to said tongue for" rotating said coil and positioning said tongue; said fingerlever being. bent upon itself at suitable length toprovide a loop adapted to readily spring sidewise into said notch; said inner surface of said face being provided with a depression at the point of impingement of respective names to this specification in the said tongue; said base being further propresence of two subscribin witnesses.

vided with a longitudinal depression on its FRANK VILLIAMS.

inner surface at the edge of said notch and OLIVER S. BARNUM. 5 adapted to receive said finger-lever when Witnesses:

lying in said notch. THOMAS ACTON,

' In testimony whereof, we have signed our J. O. KELLEY. 

